Visa fee hike, Ohio ban to have long term implications: Nasscom

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the US visit by a Nasscom delegation this month, its President Som Mittal on Monday said the visa fee hike and Ohio's ban on outsourcing is "disturbing" with long term implications.

"I think this is a disturbing trend. The measures that India is taking would bring to the notice of the US administration that for short term gain, there could be long term implications," Mittal told reporters on the sidelines of a CII event here.

Additional Secretary in the Commerce Ministry D K Mittal, who was also present, said, "We are going to talk to the US and convince them that this is not something which they should be doing."

However, the developments of the past few weeks were understandable in the wake of the US Congress elections in November. "We understand why it is happening, elections are ahead and many of these topics are local to the country," Mittal said.

The issue could be resolved as Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma is visiting the US next week, Mittal said.

A Nasscom delegation today met Sharma, who is scheduled to attend the US-India Trade Policy Forum meeting on September 21 in Washington. The Nasscom team would also be in the US in the next 15 days.

While USD 50 billion IT export industry is not much impacted by the Ohio ban, it was disturbed by recent events, which included fee hike on H1B and L category visas for professionals.

These restrictions come amidst fragile recovery in the US economy, which is vital for the Indian IT firms depending on America for 60 per cent of their export business.